Moose and Smoke

Special Air Quality Statement

Issued at 10:47 Wednesday 15 August 2018

Smoke is causing poor air quality and reducing visibility. Smoke is expected or occurring.

A westerly flow in the upper levels of the atmosphere is once again spreading smoke from forest fires over western Canada across Saskatchewan. Poor air quality and diminished visibility will be widespread across the advisory area while the smoke remains in place.

from The Weather Network

I have been working on a post concerning some lovely first edition Canadian poetry books I purchased on a trip to Saskatoon. But today has been such an odd day I thought it should take precedence. Last night we entertained company, on the way across the hay field to the cabin, they saw a large bull moose near the back slough. Then as they were leaving we noticed the beavers had brought down one of the few remaining Balsam Poplars along the lane. In theory they do not eat them, preferring instead the Trembling Aspen. So despite the fact that it was fairly smoky this morning I went out and put wire around the four largest trees on the lane. At one point I returned to the cabin for a saw and Helen pointed out the female moose and her calves in the slough. They stayed quite some time and I was able to get some photos, although the rusty colour of the smoke in the air, precluded a lot of detail. This was before 12:00.

Conditions have worsened until now at 2:30 in the afternoon we are submerged in aa eerie breathless orange void. The smell is not to bad but we need lights insider the cabin. These photos were taken then.

Fires - Heat

" The sun is axeman among dry 
Slashings: he would clear 
Kindling from the rocky hills " 

Blue Jay in Haliburton 
D.G. Jones 

Still really hot here.

Last night after a lovely meal and visit with the in-laws we

were heading home, okay a couple of quarters down the road, 

when we noticed the most beautiful sunset. This is probably

the result  of enormous forest fires in BC, a couple of provinces

over. In 2015 fires some 500 miles north of us in La Rounge

Sask. meant the first few weeks of our first extended stay

at the cabin were quite smoky. Last year we saw some smoke

 from BC fires on the way back to Alberta, and of course there

was the huge fire in Fort McMurray in May before we came out. 

We have not smelt smoke this year but last night's sunset was

spectacular.

"I summon up the roller-coasting south, 

Cry birth day to the lion sun."

from Genii

by Dorthy Livesay